Rockets seek to change first-half trend

The Rockets’ slow starts, especially defensively, have forced them to try to come back in nearly every game, but most noticeably in their losses, Thursday’s to the Lakers and Monday’s to the Clippers, their opponent Saturday night. The Rockets have trailed at the end of the first quarter in five of six games and at halftime in four of six games.

“We have to make up a better mind to come out with a better effort,” Rockets center Dwight Howard said. “It’s not on anybody else or what other teams are running. It’s how we come out, how we approach the first minutes of the game. We just have to do a better job of that.”

The Rockets trailed the Lakers and Jazz by 19, the Clippers by as much as 18 in the first half. The issue was especially severe against the Clippers, who scored a franchise-record 78 first half points.

“Nobody is going to win a game like that,” Howard said. “We understand what we have to do against this team. We’ll see tomorrow if guys’ heads are in the right place. I take it on me and James (Harden) that we make sure we get guys going in the first quarter. We can’t have quarters when we’re giving guys 30 to 40 points and expect to be a great defensive team and also a championship-caliber team. I have to do a better job leading these guys and making sure we come out with a much better effort.”

The slow starts were a particular point of emphasis at Friday’s practice, with the defensive repairs getting the most attention. But the Rockets said much of the change must be in attitude.

“It’s a mindset more than anything,” Rockets guard Jeremy Lin said. “If we didn’t have the talent or the ability, that’s a different thing. It’s just mindset. And it’s not just the starting five. Last night, the second unit, we didn’t come in with that spark we were supposed to. We have to all come out right when the jump ball is tipped off ready to play.”